London Necropolis

Built in 1832, Kensal Green was the first cemetery built by the London Cemeteries Company. It was the first 'garden cemetery' in London ... and was subsequently followed by the other, Magnificent Seven cemeteries. My first visit to Kensal Green Cemetery was by accident. I had just started working for a West London housing association and was out on site with one of the surveyors. He wanted to do some grocery shopping before going back to the office, so he left me to keep myself busy while he shopped in Sainsburys in Ladbroke Grove. I spied a cemetery across the canal, and entered. It was a short visit but one I have made on numerous occasions over time.
My subsequent visit to Kensal Green was probably a few months later; grasped in my hands was my SLR. I took this photo of my favourite sculpture - an angel, shrouded in the branches of a tree. She seemed trapped, a prisoner. This is my only remaining photograph. I can't find the other negatives, I have no idea what has happened to them. It's sad, because the gardeners, apparently, one day just chopped it all down. Forgetting that people loved to photograph her - in fact - a photograph of her is even included in Lights out for the Territory - by Iain Sinclair.

Since then, Kensal Green Cemetery has held my attention. Many will cite Highgate as their favourite London Cemetery. I can understand that, but for me, Kensal Green holds too many memories - and simply so much beauty. 

Recently it has almost become a 'place of work' for me. I was asked, about 3 months ago, if I would exhibit my photographs in the Dissenters' Gallery, attached to the chapel in the cemetery. I balked at my first exhibition being purely of my work. So I went into the exhibition with 4 other photographers:

By way of Kensal Green ...